by Moe Zilla

Created on: February 27, 2010

The illustrations are gorgeous in "Papa's Mark." There's a gold-yellow sky over Lamar County, as an overhead view finds the shadows rising over a field behind the town. It's got an old-fashioned drug store, village houses and a church steeple. The painting suggests something special is about to happen, as the narrator describes a horse-drawn wagon heading into town

Simms and his Papa are riding in to the general store. ("Smells of apples, oranges, onions, potatoes, and peppermint candy met Simms at the door.") The sky is still golden-yellow, and the two are only seen in silhouette from behind. When they enter, they're greeted by a friendly storekeeper named Mr. Jones - who looks like he stepped out of a Norman Rockwell painting.

"You colored folks must be might proud," says Mr. Jones.

"History in the making right here in Lamar County," the boy's father answers.

They exchange some friendly chatter about the election coming up. ("My papa couldn't vote. But he knew if not in his time, in my time.") But on the ride home, it's revealed that Simms' father doesn't know how to write his name. And his friends tell him some folks "don't want us colored voting."

"Freedom don't come easy," Papa replies.

The book was written by Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert, an associate education professor at Indiana's Wesleyan University. And she does a good job of creating an atmosphere, as the Simms spies his father struggling to learn how to write his name. "The golden glow flowing from the kitchen, the short and tall shadows moving, and the mumbling voices kept Simms awake." But the author supplies historical context at the back of the book - noting that historically, literacy tests were one of the tactics used to keep black people from voting.

Colin Bootman's illustrations help to tell the rest of the story. The sun rises on a tree-lined field with a fence that's covered by signs urging people to vote. When Papa stands at the church to ask who will vote, no one rises up to join him. "We scared what they might do," says one parishoner.

But one sentence changes their mind - "Papa, I'll go with you." On election day a wagon full of men pulls up at papa's door, saying they were shamed by the little boy's courage. The wagon takes off of the road - and in town they're greeted by Mr. Jones from the general store.  "I'm voting with you," he says to papa.

And the two men cross the town square together...

Learn more about this author, Moe Zilla.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.